Mudbound

I decided to watch Mudbound because there was a lot of hype about how great Mary J Blige was in this movie. It is based in the post WWII rural Mississippi, during the Jim Crow era. The story follows two men, from two very different families, as they deal with their own internal struggles and the climate around them, as they return home from the war. A black man, Ronsel Jackson, whose family that has been working the same farm for decades and a white man, Jamie McAllen, whose family recently purchased the farm the Jackson family works. The movie depicts how their paths cross and how their lives change forever.

I thought that this was an incredibly well made movie. Some of the single person dialogue was poetic, which was a nice touch. The cinematography was well done, the acting was phenomenal from the entire cast and the story was emotionally charged and intense. It’s not based on a true story but the story is true. The struggles that are depicted from the perspective of the Jackson family are very real and were at times very hard to watch.

All in all I would definitely recommend seeing this movie with some tissues. It’s a great American history lesson that everyone should witness. Just know, in advance, that the movie really breaks you down, to the point where, after watching it you might want to watch something lighthearted.

Detroit

Detroit is the story of the 12th Street Riot and the Algiers Motel Killings that occurred in Detroit, Michigan in 1967. The movie was able to showcase the anger, fear and frustration that was felt during this era due to the rampant police brutality and unjust targeting of the African American citizens in the area. 

The movie had a raw filming style and an on-edge intensity. The acting performances were emotionally powerful and realistic. I finished the film feeling saddened and angry. This movie just showed how we as a society have so much more work ahead of us. There was criticism that the movie wasn’t 100% accurate to the atrocities that happened at the Algiers Motel. I, however, came away from the movie caring less about how accurate it may or may not have been and caring more about how relevant it was, even to this day. 

What I appreciated most about this film was that the story was told. A story that isn’t taught in schools. So my hope is that with more socially conscious projects, like this one, that we can all look back at the wrongs made in the past, realize that they are still going on today, and make the right steps to correct these wrongs.

Atomic Blonde

Atomic Blonde is a spy action-thriller based in Berlin during the late 80s. In this story, MI6 agent, Lorraine Broughton, played by Charlize Theron, is sent to Berlin to retrieve a list of secret agent names that fell into the wrong hands.

I thought that the plot was interesting and kept me interested the entire movie. I especially enjoyed the twist toward the end that was unforeseen. The movie had some great action sequences that were high energy and kept you on the edge of your seat. Also, the little details, the artistry, were perfect to the era. I loved the soundtrack and the costume design, especially for Charlize’s character, Lorraine.

I thought that Charlize did a fantastic job in this movie. She portrayed a really great and complex British spy with a believable accent. The fight sequences she did were full of athleticism, gritty and realistic. I thought that she really held her own throughout the entire film.

Even though there were quite a few running plot lines, with a number of key characters, I felt like they did a good job of tying it all up in the end. So, all in all, I thought that this was a really great action film. Just know the director, David Leitch, is the same guy who helped direct John Wick, so you will similarities in the overall theme and choreography of the rather bloody fight scenes.

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets is based off of a comic book of the same title. The story follows Major Valerian and Sergeant Laureline as they work together to save their planet from an unforeseen thereat.

This film had beautiful cinematography, it was like a hybrid of The Fifth Element and Avatar, which makes sense because the director, Luc Besson, wrote and directed The Fifth Element. Additionally, the movie had an interesting concept, I also liked Rihanna’s character, though it wasn’t much of a stretch in personality, and Cara Delevingne was better than she had been in previous films, even though she still doesn’t have a lot of range.

I still can’t figure out why a seasoned actor like Clive Owen would want to be in this film. He seemed out of place. I also didn’t particularly enjoy the cheesy dialogue and poor acting, primarily from the lead, Dane DeHaan, who played Major Valerian. I just wasn’t really invested in what he was tiring to portray and at times checked out. He was definitely not able to carry this movie.

Overall this movie had potential but in the end was a bust. I’d say save your time and don’t bother with this one.